The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched a range of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based initiatives to transform Indian agriculture by improving decision-making, strengthening crop protection and enhancing access to government services for farmers. These technologies are being used for farmer advisories, pest management, crop identification, insurance support, delivery of welfare schemes and data-driven governance.
The initiatives are being implemented under the broader framework of the Digital Agriculture Mission, through which the government is supporting States and Union Territories in adopting advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT) and Robotics for modernising the agriculture sector.
Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Ramnath Thakur informed the Rajya Sabha through a written reply that AI-based solutions are increasingly being integrated into agricultural services to support farmers, including small and marginal cultivators.
AI-Based Pest Surveillance to Reduce Crop Losses
One of the major initiatives is the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS), which uses Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to identify pest attacks and provide timely solutions to farmers. The system aims to address crop losses caused by pest infestations, which can increase due to changing climatic conditions.
Through NPSS, farmers and agricultural extension workers can capture images of affected crops and pests, allowing the system to analyse the issue and provide recommendations for effective pest management.
Currently, the platform is being used by more than 10,000 extension workers and supports surveillance across 73 crops and 436 pests. The technology helps in early detection of pest outbreaks, enabling quicker interventions and reducing potential losses for farmers.
AI-Powered Weather Advisories for Better Farm Planning
Weather uncertainty remains one of the biggest challenges for Indian agriculture. To help farmers make informed decisions, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) provides AI-based monsoon and weather advisories.
These advisories offer location-specific weather information, helping farmers plan crucial agricultural activities such as sowing, irrigation, fertiliser application and harvesting. By providing timely forecasts, the system aims to reduce weather-related risks and improve productivity.
According to the Ministry, the AI-driven weather advisory initiative has reached approximately 5.28 crore farmers, enabling them to access reliable weather-based agricultural guidance.
BharatVistaar: AI Platform Connecting Farmers with Agricultural Services
Another significant initiative is BharatVistaar (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources), a multilingual Artificial Intelligence-powered Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) designed specifically for agriculture.
The platform provides farmers with real-time, location-specific agricultural advisories along with access to government schemes and support services. It combines AI-based assistance with agricultural information systems to create a single digital platform for farmers.
So far, BharatVistaar has served more than 3 lakh farmers and responded to over 72 lakh farmer queries. The platform provides information related to 18 Central Government schemes, crop and livestock advisories, weather updates, mandi prices, pest and disease identification, soil health-based recommendations and grievance redressal services.
The AI platform is accessible through multiple channels, including a web portal, mobile application, AI chatbot and telephone service. While the telephone service is currently available in Hindi and English, the chatbot, web portal and mobile application support 10 languages, making digital agricultural services more accessible across regions.
Investment in Digital Agriculture Growing
The government has continued to increase financial support for digital agriculture initiatives, including AI-based projects. During the last five years, funds allocated for such initiatives have witnessed significant growth.
The allocation for digital agriculture stood at ₹60 crore in 2022-23, increasing to ₹450 crore in 2023-24 and ₹763.88 crore in 2024-25. In 2025-26, ₹758.56 crore was allocated, while ₹502.40 crore has been allocated for 2026-27.
The utilisation of funds also increased steadily, reaching ₹596.10 crore in 2025-26 and ₹364.62 crore in 2026-27.
However, the government has stated that no specific comprehensive assessment has been conducted to evaluate the overall impact of AI-based technologies in agriculture.
Building Digital Capacity Among Farmers
Along with technological development, the government is providing technical assistance and financial support to States and Union Territories for implementing digital agriculture projects. These efforts also include capacity-building programmes aimed at improving farmers’ ability to use AI-enabled tools and digital services.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence into agriculture is expected to strengthen precision farming, improve access to timely information and help farmers manage challenges related to climate change, pests and market uncertainties. Through initiatives such as NPSS, AI weather advisories and BharatVistaar, the government is moving towards a technology-driven agricultural ecosystem focused on improving farm efficiency and farmer incomes.
Author: Shivam
Shivam Dwivedi is a senior journalist with extensive experience in research-driven journalism, policy communication, and multi-platform storytelling. His areas of interest include international relations, defence, science & technology, education, urban development, agriculture, spirituality, and environmental sustainability. His work focuses on in-depth analysis, public discourse, and impactful narratives across governance and development sectors, with a strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Contact: [email protected]
